๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐?
Running Effectiveness uses speed and power (effort) – both are measurable numbers. RE is easy to calculate.
But Running Effectiveness measures how effectively you convert power into speed, and there are many things that can affect that conversion.
๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
Differences in your running form at different intensities (jogging vs. running vs. sprinting) will affect how effectively you convert power into forward motion, impacting RE.
๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ & ๐๐ข๐ง๐
When you run uphill, your power will be higher for the same speed โ and your RE will be lower. The reverse is true when running downhill.
The same is true for running into a headwind (lower RE), or with a tailwind.
๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐๐ฌ
Running shoes are made from differing materials with differing stack heights. This can affect how effectively you convert power to speed.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ & ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ
There is no agreed standard for calculating running power โ different power meters will produce differing numbers. This means RE (for identical runs) will differ based on the power meter you used.
RE uses power divided by weight. If you change the weight configured for your power meter, RE calculations made before that change will not be comparable with RE calculations made after that change, unless you calculate RE using the weight configured at the time of each run.
๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ฌ
RE isnโt so easy to use!
But one way to monitor changes in RE is to use reference runs, a strategy that Fred Richardson (a fellow coach) shared with me.
These are runs you include every 3-4 weeks in your training plan, where you run the same route at the same target intensities in the same running shoes. Reference runs minimise the variations between runs, so that you can compare RE between runs and spot improvements.
๐บ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐’๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐?
โ Questions?
๐ Getting Started
For more information on how to use Running Effectiveness, see Understanding ‘Running Effectiveness’ and its uses (Palladino)
๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐: ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ
โฉ What is Running Effectiveness?
โฉ Is Running Effectiveness easy to use?
โฉ Running Effectiveness and form improvements
โฉ Running Effectiveness and fatigue resistance
โฉ Running Effectiveness and race planning